Posts Tagged ‘Musiq’

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Every once in a while, a lot of good music drops at one time. It doesn’t happen often enough, but when it does, I am moved to mix it!

That’s the concept behind Something New (Spring 2011). We have some heavy hitters who have recently released some fantastic albums and more are on the way in coming weeks. Beyonce is back and killing it with her new single, Who Run the World (Girls). Jill Scott is refreshed and rejuvenated with a new label and new album. Musiq is hotter than ever and teaming up with Swizz Beatz on his new single. Bilal, one of my favorites, has some great new remixes from his recent album. And the queen of Hip-hop and R&B, Mary J. Blige is doing it to death with Looking for Someone to Love Me; whenever Mary and Diddy collaborate, it’s magic. I hope you will enjoy this mix of new music that features all of these artists and more. Could it be… is R&B on the comeback? If so, it’s going to be a great summer!

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I am very proud to present Something Neo for Your Soul, a tribute to one of my favorite genres. I am in love with this dynamic presentation of classic neo-soul music. This mix features the hit makers blended with good underground. Please enjoy and share Something Neo for Your Soul and look out for Something Neo for Your Soul 2(the slow jams) coming soon!

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They say there are events in life so significant that you can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when they happened. For me, one of those moments would be the first time I heard D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” on the radio. I, like so many others, knew in that moment that I was hearing greatness. D’Angelo had one of the most short-lived yet influential musical careers of my generation. Like with the absence of Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo has also left us with a void that has yet to be filled. He was a musician, singer-songwriter who was so significant that they had to come up with a new genre to categorize his sound… that genre was called neo-soul.

Maxwell

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Maxwell is the smooth side of neo-soul. Because there was a D’Angelo there had to be a Maxwell in order to present that perfect balance and demonstrate the possibilities of this genre. Maxwell’s sound was a like a fresh breeze cleansing us of the blasé music of the late 90’s. I remember hearing the “Urban Hang Suite” album everywhere; I literally couldn’t walk from my college apartment without hearing it blasting through the windows of dorms or passing cars. It was music so good and so different that we couldn’t stop listening to it; not just one or two cuts, but the entire album. It is a classic, and today we are lucky enough to have this creative singer-songwriter giving us more and more.

Dwele

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I was a Dwele fan long before I even knew his name. When he was just “that guy” on the keys and singing in the Slum Village video, I thought, I want to hear more from “that guy.” Then when his first single dropped I was able to piece a name together with the distinct sound that is Dwele’s. I took a similar path on my way to a love affair with the music of producer J-Dilla. Detroit just keeps blessing us with the best. If you don’t own a Dwele album, get one immediately. This brother is a fantastic singer-songwriter, and musician with a sound that is unmistakably brilliant.

Musiq

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From the very first time I heard him hum the opening to “Just Friends,” I knew Musiq would be a star. I lived in North Carolina at the time and the radio stations there were limited, at best, when it came to R&B. I remember thinking the DJ made a mistake by playing Musiq and the song would never be played again. I’m very pleased to say that radio airplay has never been a problem for Musiq. Born out of the Roots Crew, this Philly native represents oh so well. I enjoy Musiq’s music consistently.

Eric Roberson

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Eric Roberson is one of the most under-rated talents in neo-soul. Man I’m a fan! Some call him the King of indie soul, I call him the Prince of neo-soul because he’s so versatile. His sound ranges from R&B, to hip-hop, to house, to neo-soul and beyond. If you ever get the chance to see Roberson live – run, don’t walk, to the show. This brother takes words and or quotes from the audience and comes up with spontaneous songs that jam; it’s so amazing to watch. He also plays guitar and has a fantastic band backing him up… he’s just a musician’s musician. I love how he has consistently stayed true to his style of music and waits for the fans to come to him instead of vice versa. He’s a true artists and I feel like DC can kind of claim this Philli native since he graduated from Howard University, wrote his first hit there (The Moon) and visits DC so often.

Raheem DeVaughn

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And while this is a top 5 list; I’m going to break my own rule this one time and mention the number 6 artist on my list, Grammy nominated singer, songwriter Raheem DeVaughn. He’s a Washington, DC native so there is no way I can’t give him props. Raheem was a stand out as a member of the local DC group Crossroads in early 2000 and has since hustled his way to the top of his game. I remember him selling his mixtapes out of his backpack on U-Street back in the day. People often call Raheem a throw back to Marvin Gaye, but I think that’s the easy way out of really describing his complex sound. Raheem does walk the line between social commentary and sensuality as Marvin did and he does have a banging falsetto as well. But I believe DeVaughn, like so many of these neo-soul artists, is an amalgamation, as am I and so many other 70’s babies who are music fans.

We are a grand mix of all the R&B, soul, gospel, pop, jazz, blues and rock music that our parents, aunts and uncles listened to. And it just so happens to be some of the best sounding music ever produced in American culture. Thus the need for NEO-soul; there had to be a new genre created to categorize this gumbo that we play, sing and listen to.